This report reflects temperature changes on January 1st, every 5 years from 1945 – 2015 and 2016, in five East Coast cities from Maine to Florida.

Typical climate in the region, in excerpts from world atlas online is described as:

New England states experience warm summers with cool mornings and pleasant evening conditions. Winters in the northeast “…are often quite cold with heavy snow and sub-freezing temperatures…;” and, occasional hurricanes “…strike the eastern coastline and Gulf of Mexico states from June through October.”

Madawaska, Maine is the northernmost city on the East Coast, and Key West, Florida is the southernmost.

The first chart below shows average highest and lowest temperatures for the cities mentioned above, and for JFK Airport in Jamaica, New York; Logan Airport, Boston, Massachusetts and Norfolk International Airport in Virginia.

The Maine and Florida charts arrange the years in order of the lowest temperatures for each January 1st in the 1945-2015 and 2016 time period. 

Lowest temperature  on January 1 in Maine occurred in 2015; the highest in 1945.

Lowest temperature in Key West on January 1 occurred in 1945. The highest of 84.9°F occurred in 2016; topping the previous high of 84.4°F in 1945.  

JFK and Logan Airport charts list years in order of the highest temperatures for each January 1st in the 1945-2015 and 2016 time frame. 

JFK’s New Year’s Day temperature of 61°F in 2005 was the highest on that day in 60 years.

The lowest temperature occurring on the first day of the year in the same period was 21°F in 1970.

Highest January 1st temperature at Logan Airport in Boston was 59°F recorded in 1945.

Boston’s lowest New Year’s Day temperature of 16°F was recorded in 1970. 

Norfolk International Airport in Virginia is midway between Madawaska and Key West. 

Norfolk’s temperature on January 1, 1985 was the highest recorded for the 71-year period, at 75°F.

Lowest of 25°F was on  January 1, 2015.